Year 2 of the series sees International expansion into France and Germany and an increase to 7 legs.

Competition Format

The competition format is in accordance with the FEI Eventing Rules:

The competition will take place over 2 days.

1st day: dressage

2nd day: jumping in the morning followed by cross country phase.

Selection of Participants

1 horse per athlete

40 entries in total to be accepted per competition

Athletes to be selected by FEI Ranking points (at entry point). Four places (wildcards), in order of priority, will be available from the following options:

Up to 2 places (wildcards) reserved for any Eventing Olympic Gold medal winner at any time or 4star winner in the last 10 years. If these wildcards are not used, then developing nation riders, in order of FEI ranking may be selected.

Up to 2 places (wildcards) at the discretion of the OC & ERM. This is to support and build TV distribution in emerging markets and to support the commercial development of the series.

These wildcard places (maximum of 4) may also be selected by FEI Ranking points finalised at the date of entries if the above criteria are not applied.

These wildcard places (maximum of 4) will also be selected by FEI Ranking points finalised at the date of entries.

For full details of the wildcard process please see Appendix A.

In all cases ERM MER Rules will be applied to selection of section. A waitlist will be held and withdrawals will be replaced according to FEI rankings.

Additional Qualification Requirement

1 additional MER: 1 CIC3*. This will apply to all combinations including wildcards.

Competition

At Ballot Date the ERM section will be published on the Event and ERM website. All entries not into ERM section will be placed into the normal CIC 3* section (should there be one at the event) and a waitlist will be held in FEI ranking order.

Dressage Times will be published on the Thursday before the competition. Times will be produced in four groups based upon the average of up to 5 of the horses’ latest dressage results from FEI CIC3* competitions with the best averages being in the final group. Within each group a draw will then take place to determine running order.

On completion of dressage – Show Jumping order will run in reverse order.

On Completion of Show Jumping – Cross Country will run with the top 20 in reverse order.

By entering the competition, the rider accepts the conditions of entry (please see Appendix B in Competitor Info).

Point System/Results

The goal is to provide an ever-changing leader board to drive continued interest.

The final placings of Athletes in the Series will be made by accumulation of the points according to the points scale below.

For purposes of gaining any ERM points, the rider must meet the Minimum Eligibility Requirement (dressage no more than 67 penalty points, showjumping no more than 16 faults at obstacles, and cross country being clear and no more than 75 seconds over the optimum time). If the rider finishes in the placings despite not having the MER (e.g., has had a 20penalty runout in the XC), the rider will be entitled to that place and any prize money awarded for that place and any series ERM points.

The results of the best 66% of the competitions of the series will count – for 2017 this will be 4 competitions.

Placing

Points

1st

30

2nd

28

3rd

26

4th

24

5th

22

6th

21

7th

20

8th

19

9th

18

10th

17

11th

16

12th

15

13th

14

14th

13

15th

12

A further 2 points will be allocated to any competitor placed below 15th completing with an MER.

Tie Breaks

For purposes of addressing any ties in winners or places in the final series rankings, the fundamental elements of the FEI Nation’s Cup rules will be applied, EXCEPT for the requirement that a tie be decided on the basis of participation in the greatest number of events, and instead using the concept that each rider should have 4 scores to count. Therefore, the tie-break rules will be:

In case of a tie for the series or a place in the series, each rider's placings in all his/her ERM legs (up to 4, and if more than 4, the best 4) will be added together The tie will be decided in favour of the rider with the lower of such totals. This means, for example, that a rider who has placed 1st in 4 events will have a score of 4, whereas a rider who has placed 2nd in 4 events will have a score of 8, and the tie will be decided in favour of the rider with the score of 4. The concept is that each rider should have 4 scores to count, so in the event that they have only completed 3 legs they will receive points equivalent to a 40th place for the 4th effort.

As an example: If Rider x had competed in and won 3 legs they would have 90 ERM points. Rider y could have also 90 points from 3 x 3rd places plus a 15th place. Under the tie break rules Rider x would have 43 points (3 x 1 = 3 + 40 for the assumed 40th place), whereas Rider y would have 24 points (3 x 3 = 9 + 15) and therefore wins.

In the event that there is still a tie, the standard FEI rules will apply, as set forth in its Eventing Rules, Chapter 7, Art 528.1.6 (see below). These rules will be applied by adding together all the scores from all the rider’s legs (up to four, as above) before the comparisons are made.

528.1.6 Final Classification Tie (Individual)

In the event of equality between two or more Athletes, the classification is decided by

The best cross-country score including penalties for faults at obstacles, time penalties and any other penalty that the athlete may have incurred on the Cross Country Test.

If there is still equality, the classification is decided in favour of the Athlete whose cross-country time was closest to the optimum time.

If there is still equality, the Athlete with the best Jumping score including penalties at obstacles and time penalties.

If there is still equality, the Athlete with the fastest time in the Jumping Test.

If there is still equality, the classification will be decided in favour of the Athlete with the best total of collective marks in the Dressage Test.

If there is still equality the tie will remain in the final classification and any prize money will be divided equally.

Prize Money

There is a prize money fund of £50,000 (€60,000) at each of the seven events in 2017.

Placing

Prize Money

1st

£16,000

2nd

£12,000

3rd

£8,000

4th

£6,000

5th

£3,000

6th

£2,000

7th

£1,000

8th

£900

9th

£600

10th

£500

A prize to the overall winner of the series will awarded at the final at Blenheim. The aim is a £30,000 first prize, a £15,000 second prize and £5,000 for third.

The Ambition of the Series

The series to be packaged specifically for television, with sophisticated commentary, innovative camera techniques and informed by statistical analysis of the kind used by other televised sports—intended to welcome and entertain new audiences as well as those already engaged with the sport.

All images used on this website remain the property of Event Rider Masters Ltd and MUST NOT be copied or reproduced for ANY purpose. We thank the individual Event Rider Masters venues for providing us with images, as well as the following photographers for the use of their images and their ongoing support of our amazing sport: Will Murray, Andrew Steptoe, Libby Law, Julia Shearwood.